Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 184(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 184(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
I won't allow the first to happen. This city won't survive if the second does.
"Trovarsi fra l'incudine e il martello," Rafe says, seeing the gravity of the situation. He knows we're stuck between the hammer and the anvil without me having to spell it out for him. I'm not the only smart, calculating motherfucker in the room. He didn't claw his way to the crown by failing to grasp the bigger picture.
Either I seduce Athena and make sure her bosses find out…or we find another way to make sure she stops digging. We don't kill women. But we do what we have to do to protect La Cosa Nostra.
This time, I intend to enjoy every filthy moment of it.
Run, rabbit, run. I'm coming for you.
"Mattia's here to see you."
I flick my gaze up from my computer screen to Ricci, who is standing in the doorway to my office. It's not even eight in the morning. I'm not entirely surprised Mattia's here. I had a feeling Rafe would send someone. He trusts no one, especially not me.
"Send him in."
Ricci nods and disappears into the outer office.
Less than thirty seconds later, Mattia strides through the doors, a cup of coffee in hand, dressed in his usual dark suit and matching tie. If you didn't know him, you'd think he was some high-powered executive. At least until you take a good look at his eyes. The glittering darkness there screams danger. Like Valentino, he isn't someone to be fucked with. He may hide it better, but he's just as dangerous, capable of just as much savagery.
The only difference is that Mattia's far more patient than his best friend. He'll wait years before he strikes if it suits his purposes. Valentino prefers to handle his business and move the fuck on.
"Which of us are you here to babysit?" I ask, genuinely curious if Rafe sent him to keep an eye on me or if he sent him to get a bead on Athena.
Mattia's brow rises toward his hairline. "Who says I'm here to babysit anyone?" He brings his cup to his mouth, taking a long sip. "One of these days, you and Rafe will stop dancing around each other and realize you're both too goddamned busy to worry about the other half as often as the two of you think you do."
"What does that even mean?"
"It means you both spend too much time worried about bullshit when neither of you have time for it. Yet you spend your time thinking he's watching for a knife from you. He spends his time thinking you're watching for a knife from him." Mattia grimaces. "Neither of you will betray the other because of Amalia. Life would be far easier if you two would accept that already."
So Rafe worries about me not trusting him. Interesting. Is that why I got roped into being his new underboss? As a show of faith? I start to ask Mattia that question and then swallow it back, not sure I want to know the answer. Not sure the answer changes anything. Regardless of the reason, I won't say no if it means protecting Amalia.
"Your agent is coming this morning?"
"That's the plan," I say with a smirk. With any luck, she'll be coming all over me before she leaves my office.
Mattia leans against the door frame, giving me a level look. "I looked into her last night. She's never worked a RICO case."
"Not even one?" I ask, not entirely surprised. I knew yesterday that she was too goddamn young and inexperienced to be working this case. "Who the fuck sends a rookie to deal with people like us?"
He shakes his head, at a loss for how to answer that one. "My sources say she worked in cybercrimes before being assigned this case."
"Jesus Christ," I mutter. Her bosses are pricks for sending her after me. They should have known better. "She's a lamb to the slaughter. Why the hell would they assign her to us?"
"No clue, but I don't envy her." He takes another sip of his coffee, eyeing me over the rim of the cup. "You sure you want to follow through with this? She's young, fresh out of Quantico, has a whole career ahead of her."
Unless I derail it. He doesn't say it, but he doesn't have to say it. It hovers in the air, unspoken. If I seduce her, I won't just be destroying whatever case she's trying to build against us. I'll be destroying her career. They'll never trust her again. It's a fucking asshole move. But the thing is…I never pretended I was prince charming. I never said I wasn't a fucking asshole.
I take what I want, just like I always have. That's how my world works. That's the rule I live by. Take what belongs to me and make no apologies. Athena White belongs to me, even if she doesn't know it yet. I won't apologize for taking her. Even if it destroys her world. Even if I have to burn it to the fucking ground to make her mine.